Am I too harsh ?

[Lucky_Phill]

Please feel free:-

Wednesday is a public holiday ( show day ) in Brisvegas.

Am I asking toooooo much, that if a worker takes the day off, he /she should turn up Thursday with a ticket stub from the Ekka,to show that they have attended the reason for the day off, or be docked a day's pay. Afterall, the day off is for the EKKA.

And then to top it off, Thursday is a Pupil Free day at school ( here ), and all those Single Mum's and Dad's now either have to take another day off, pay babysitters or make other arrangements.

Now why do people outside Brisbane get the day or another day off. Logan City, Redlands, etc etc.

Further, if one has the Labour Day off and does not march or participate in Labour Day activities, dock the days pay.

The Bloody Queens birthday, if you don't bring some birthday cake to work the next day for the boss, dock ya pay.

I'm blowing off steam, because, I am self employed, and therefore only get paid for the work I do. The thought of paying someone a days pay for not turning up to work ? well, I just can't fathom that ? And to top it off, that person does not attend the reason for the day off.

Now, I am a proud Aussie, and I like me days off as well as the next fella, cause that is good fishing time, but, really. ::)

So, the question might be:-

Do you feel ( wage and salary earners ), guilty having a show day off and NOT attending the Show ?

Let's also hear from the employers on this one.

Cheers Phill

[landy1]

I dont get public holidays, i supouse im not public enough. Now i dont think im qualified to answer at all ::) ;D

[basserman]

well i'm also self empoyed (no other workers ;D) and i can have as many days off as i like but i sure like the money too :'(
i can't understand (not sure whats it like up there in toad country) but every time school returns from holidays the teachers have a pupil free day ???
i'm with you phill ;D

[aquarius]

I'm working tomorrow and getting double time for it so i'm happy.
Ekka holiday is great for some but not so good if your self employed like Phill :'(
Cheers Brent

[adamleah]

I dont feel guilty at all Phil .. Not only is wednesday a public holiday for me but friday is also my Rostered day off... so guess what ...Thursday I wont be at work either...

Ill be lazing back in an apartment at Mooloolabah...

[Maria]

You ever get up at 0300 and go to a dawn parade to commemorate Anzac Day, or sleep in like 90-something percent of the population do?

Ben

[Lucky_Phill]

Yes Ben, another good point.

Well, for me, I do go to a March, where ever I am. and thank those diggers for the lifestyle that I lead now.

Phill

[Big_Kev]

Phil you just need to know how to work the system.
Being your own employee, I am sure that you will be working the tax system as hard as you can? Perks the so called worker can not access?
The decision is yours, you can always go and work for someone else. What would be your answer?
Cheers Kev.

[aussiebasser]

I get Good Friday off, but I don't go out and get nailed to a cross for it. Some other guy did that years ago for all of us. I 'spose you want to dock me for that one too.

[ross_woody]

My place of employement works 24/7. Cant go fishing on my day off, have to look after the kids so the teachers can have 2 public holidays instead of one. GOOD FOR SOME.


The only Bonus I get is to spend time with my boys. (To young yet to go fishing in the bay.)

[blaze]

I am with kev on this one
I am also self employed and would not work for wages, I like my benifets to much
Phil - Have you ever had a couple hours off here and there to take care of some personal thing, I do all the time
My wife works in the public health system and gets benifets like HOLIDAY PAY sickleave annual leave and paid very well when she works public holidays etc
but being self employed i dtill recken i get the best deal
cheers
blaze
ps
as for teachers, i wouldnt have there job for a mill a year unless you allowed me to administer disipline

[Gazza]

I get Good Friday off, but I don't go out and get nailed to a cross for it. #Some other guy did that years ago for all of us. #I 'spose you want to dock me for that one too.
;D :D :D :D
I'm with you Aussiebasser [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

What about this angle Phill......(ya tightrrs who nobody would work for anyway.... :-X ;D)

Mate, I reckon we should all get pissed and go to the races ,and then give the bill to the BOSS the next day ,because it was his fault we spent so much >:( >:( ,for having, to have ,the bloody day off. >:( >:(

I reckon it suks too >:( that Fathers Day is ALWAYS on a Sunday ,WE should be given the whole week off....... [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

;D :D :D :D
Disclaimer: wind and tide permitting ,or WE get to chose another week. ;)

[SeaSaw]

Bring on Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny [smiley=laola.gif]

The more holidays the better. Great for kids, fishing and relaxing. I already work 10-12 hour days and get paid for 7.25, so have little sympathy for the employers.

Next you will want to cancel Christmas. ;)

Mark

[jaybee]

Lucky Phil
Well, for me, I do go to a March, where ever I am. and thank those diggers for the lifestyle that I lead now.
so then what are you whinging about then phil, they say if its too hot in the kitchen then get out, geeez, try living with an intellectual, psychiatric and multiple disability and see how you get treated by society, my turn to blow off steam now, how does that saying go, I thought i was hard done by because i had no shoes, then i saw a person with no feet
cheers
Joe.

[landy1]

At least the guy with no feet doesnt have to worry about shoes ::) ::)

[landy1]

As I said above I dont get public holidays or weekends, but i get to go fishing when there isnt a bloody great crowd ;D. Not that there ever is out here :-/.

[PinHead]

"I already work 10-12 hour days and get paid for 7.25, so have little sympathy for the employers."

I am another self employed worker..almost 3am and up and working...will be working most of the day.

I don't mind paying my one employee for public holidays but the one that annoys me is having to pay the 17.5% loading for holidays. Must be the only place in the world where you get more money for not working than when you are at work.

[jeffo]

phill you grumpy old buggger!! ;D
if you have blokes working for you put them on casual not fulltime. i am a "casual" worker for my boss, and although i work 40 hours a week i dont et paid if im not there. my boss always gives us the choice when it comes to public holidays. if its going to be calm we go fishing ;D

[megafish71]

I'm with PinHead on this one. I too am self employed and don't mind paying my staff for public holidays, but get really pissed off at paying 17.5% leave loading. Just don't understand why I have to pay more to have staff on holidays, then having them working.
Ron

[Kerry]

Am I asking toooooo much, that if a worker takes the day off, he /she should turn up Thursday with a ticket stub from the Ekka,to show that they have attended the reason for the day off, or be docked a day's pay. Afterall, the day off is for the EKKA.

Being an offically gov gazetted day one could imagine that if you push that barrow, probably the next barrow you'd be pushing is your barristers barrow full of law books into court.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Big_Muddie]

Simple answer - yes you are.

[Billo]

Tough position Phill #….are you being too harsh ???? hard to say .

I myself am working today on double time and a half …..and have the next 2 days off on annual leave .
But we are a company who caters for the whole country , and have 120 staff …and I am doing a 10 hour day being paid for 7.5

Those who wish to have the day off here can , but most are pushed to work …but we have all the other states to consider .

Legally .,..they are entitled to it ….,morally …I agree with you !

Why the heck do we allow people a day off to go to the Ekka when 90 % will be sleeping and GET PAID ???
same for all the other situations you named ..

not that i am complaining ....i am on the gravy train .... [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

but if i were running a business ( which i am planning on getting on it's feet over the next 18 months , ) i would be peeved at the concept !

[adamleah]

All you self employed people should already realise that all Long service leave, annual leave, sick leave , leave loading, public holidays etc should be taken into account when deciding on your Hourly charge out rates...

I know that to become an Electrical contractor these days they force this issue down your throat before handing over a licence to allow you to start your own business...

[webby]

It seems as if us Aussies are becoming a big pack of whingers,
Its your own choice if your self employed or not.
Yes im self employed and wish i wasnt some weeks, when some weeks my employees take home more then i do, and they dont have to worry about the overheads.
I wish somedays i could phone up and have a sickie, but thats my choice again, so i look forward to their gazette public holidays.
People think because your self employed these days your well off, well think again people, we are slowly being squeezed to death.
I'd love to take a few weeks off here and there and camp on the side of the briney.
As a couple mention above the leave loading stinks, but the one that pisses me off, is the super when you have to contribute so much after they earn x amount of dollars.
The majority of the people i employ will never get there hands on this money, as some only hang around for 12mth then disappear into the abyss .
Yes some do inquire and transfer it, while the majority wouldnt give a second thought to it, so tell me what happens to this money once the 55 years expires.
Well there you go, now im whinging ;D
Lets just worry about our own life, and stop worrying about the fellas next door, thats having more days off then you.
Might just buy me self a crystal ball with all the "I Wishes" above
regards

[bugman]

Here I sit at work on a public holiday. Nice and sunny outside with my better half sitting at home wondering what to do today.

I get two public holidays a year Xmas Day and Good Friday the rest will find me here on this bloody terminal.

I spend most of waking hours working out how to become self employed. I'm dead tired sick of seeing all my effort go into making money for someone else ($1.6 million last year). I guess it's the difference between being comfortable and well off.

Different topic I know but as Kev elluded to self employed people and many advantages over wage earners. My annual tax bill is another man's wages for the year and there's not a God damn thing I can do about it.

Good on people who have public holidays. Enjoy every second of it. Life's about the things you do away from work - remember that.

Bugman

[caloundra]

phil
not only do you want to miss out on a days pay but you also wan't to spend $200-$300 dollars to take your family to stand in long ques and get trampled on just to see a couple of cows?
not my ideal day to spend with the family.

Daniel

[-spiro-]

Phil instead of being so tight, sell it and become a wage earner. I've worked for wages all my life and often think about self employment. But the problem is that i know i would work all alot more hours and proberly get paid a hell of alot more money. Then i wouldn't see my kids and missis as much and not to mention FISHING. I've worked public holidays and Saturday's and Sundays before the kids came along for the extra cash. These days i couldn't be botherd, the more you earn the more you send so i do 40h and thats it. Lighten up mate as you get older you apricate these days more.
I LOVE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND SICKIES AND A/L AND L/S the benafit of a wage earner.

[Burley_Boy]

You get the good with the bad in life. :)

Hopefully webby by the time those chaps hit retirement age they will have figured out that they have 10% of their lifes wages sitting in a holding account that they can access (it won't go up in smoke). If they haven't figured that out by then after the amount of advertising that will get pured into informing people of superannuation in the next few years, then they probably would be too thick to be able to spend it!!! I've worked overseas and had super deducted there that the govt keeps as you leave :(

Being a self emplyed chap the best thing I ever did was amalgamate two companies and end up with a business partner. We take RDO's in turn and love it.
Bummer when the public holidays fall on different days in different states though as we have to remain open to service the rest of the country.

[lordy]

I'm with PinHead on this one. I too am self employed and don't mind paying my staff for public holidays, but get really pissed off at paying 17.5% leave loading. Just don't understand why I have to pay more to have staff on holidays, then having them working.
Ron


Its total salary package that is just divided up a differently depending on work place agreements. Effectively your employees are getting you to set aside 1.35% of their weekly earnings until they go on holidays. If you didn't pay 17.5% leave loading you would just end pay your employees 1.35% more per week instead. It end up the same.

[lordy]

Do you feel ( wage and salary earners ), guilty having a show day off and NOT attending the Show ?
Cheers Phill




Not at all guilty (though I tend to work more to NSW holidays due to work being there). If I was taking off show day and going fishing I wouldn't care.

Queens birthday, not even on the Queens birthday.

Should non-christians be forced to work Easter/Christmas?

All it boils down to is non-work days, historically based on something as an excuse for a day off. What would be great is if employee's could trade in these mandated holidays for once they make up themselves.

Queens birthday: Switch that sometime later and call it Tuna Day.

Easter Friday/Mon: Barra Pilgrimage Weekend

Show Holiday: Bass relaxation day.

[snappa]

phill

i'm with all the other wage earners. "MORE THE MERRIER"
worked monday for caboolture show day at 200%
and tuesday being my l.d.o. day worked for 250% but today is just ordinary if any of my days are ordinary?????

"SICKIES ARE FOR FISHING WHEN THE WEATHER PERMITS"

when ya really sick you go to work ;D

[seafox]

I was self employed for over 20 years and always worked public holidays a real bummer now I am a wage earner and I agree with snappa the more the merrier more fishing days. We get around 10 fishing days (sick days) a year and I use every one of them [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[Dirty_Mole]

i don't really care thats the teachers problem for me because i am a student. That and i don't have a job so i don't care.

sam,

[MTpockets]

I have worked in the same job for 24 years, with 21 of them in the shop I am now. I earn 30k a year and work the graveyard shift tuesday to saturday. If a public holiday falls on a monday I wont get a long weekend like everyone else, and have to take it within 28 days and still have to mutually agree with the boss as to what day in leu I can take. I rarely take a sickie and usually go to work when I am sick. I get no thanks from the boss's for turning up every day and I am never late. They MAKE me have an RDO once a month at a day they determine. They give me a friday off once a month and those on the midnight shift know that its not a DAY off its a damn night off. What can I do with a night off?? watch infomercials or old movies? I cant go fishing on my RDO like other guys. The odd day off that I get is a waste of time and I dont enjoy them at all. The tight a****d bosses dont care because they have a bottom line to consider and thats fair enough, but they winge cos I want a saturday off in leu of my monday show holiday. I am pretty angry about it and its not my damn fault if the government decrees these damn things. If you or anyone dont like the present setup, get into government and change it. I for one just want one lousy saturday off. As if I am going to send them broke.... sheeees

cheers
Les

[bidkev]

My deckie used to work every public holiday and as many weekends as she could 'cause we needed the money. It also meant that she would get another day off when the crowds weren't around and being self -employed (as I was then), I could get to take time off with her. Her mates thought it great that she, (and others) worked, 'cause it meant that they could get to be off with their spouses and kids. We also got to be alone together when the kids were at school. Since she "stepped up a rung" in the Qld Health ladder, they now roster her off 'cause she is "too expensive to employ on a public holiday or weekend" although she does do about one weekend in 3.

That's ok I suppose, <shrug> we miss the money, especially as we are building atm, but we are "re-discovering" the kids and doing more family stuff........but as for the Ekka?.........no, we don't go, we all hate crowds and if you've seen it once.....well, you've seen it. We spent the day in the Bay and don't regret missing Ekka one bit.

As for being paid for not going? That's all part of the "collective bargaining" system. It's costed in to the system and the self-employed should cost it into theirs. If they don't, then they're undercharging for their services. That's a simplification I know, especially if you're in a competetive market, but that's what cost accountancy is all about, and if you ain't cost accounting your business, then you're doing it (yourself) a dis-service.

cheers

kev

[kc]

Interesting thread & points of view.

I like Jaybees comments about the Shoes & no feet.

Speaking of shoes.........before you give someone a gob full, always walk a mile in his shoes.....at least then, your a mile away...& you've got his shoes!!

KC

[bj]

If your troubled by it PHIL go and work for a boss,I don`t think what you have to say is going to make much difference.I`m lucky I`m retired and at 55yrs and I worked for a boss all my life.

[PinHead]

I worked about 13 hours today..but at least it was at home..working on the computer. I did go to the Ekka..on Sunday..I had a ball...cannot wait till next years. Took my almost 3 year old grandson..it was a hoot. The lil guy loved it therefore so did I.

[bungie]

Like somebody else said, its calculated into the charge out rate of your employee. Down to the fact that if your employee doesn't take all eleven sick days they are entitled to you are in front. After saying that, its a pain in the a*se the first half of the year with public holidays and RDO'S. Its not the money as the none productive days 6 RDO's and 6 public holidays up until today, 12 days, all most 2 and a 1/2 weeks in the first half of the year. And to really get my goat up, the bloody apprentice is in college for 4 weeks :(

[imnotoriginal]

It's about choice mate. The holiday is there to give people an opportunity to go to ekka without losing a weekend or having to take a sickie. It's your choice to use it this way or not. I don't use it that way because...the ekka sux. What is someone would prefer to use the weekend to go to the ekka then do their weekend activities on the ekka holiday. What you're suggesting means dictating to a person how they should use their free time, which isn't fair imo.
Joel

[Lucky_Phill]

Yes fellas, just about what I expected.

I can always count on Ausfishers to give interesting and different points of view. And I thank you for that.

I won't reply to you all individually, but clarify some things.

Firstly, I wasn't having a ' winge " as some would like to think.

Lets say " hypothectically" , that I was using this thread to seek an employee for a management role in my company. Those who said they didn't care about the public holidays and would take them all with out feeling guilty, even though , not using the day off for the purpose it was intended, can KISS the job goodbye. ;)

Those who worked it for the " money " BYE BYE.

Listen, guys, I know that when someone becomes ' employed' they and the boss accepts the rules and regs of employment. Those rules seem to change almost on a daily basis.

It sort of works both ways, if you are unhappy about being employed, start ya own business or change employment. Further, if you are self employed and don't like, get a boss.

Some points were made about the " perks, tax wise' of being self employed, Jeez, haven't the rules changed on this one.

Employed persons are NOW allowed to claim as a deduction:-

vehicles expenses, laundry, uniforms, safety clothing, sunscreen, super contributions ( and the Govt will chuck in $ for $ extras, except if you are self employed ), employment related mags and books, educational expenses, donations to charities, moble phone, home phone, computer, etc. Hey, if you are unsure about these, ask your accountant. These deductions used to be the domain of the self employed, these used to be our saviour, but not any more.


Sit in my shoes for a bit. I have never been employed. Never recieved a paid holiday. Never had overtime paid. Never recieved 17.5% loading. Never recieved Employer Super Contributions. Never had employer health cover. and further, never want to be in THAT situation , anyway. WHY ?

Very good question Phill. ;D Although a true Aussie, I usually take the moral high ground, I said usually ;), and therefore can't comprehend the issue of overtime, time and a 1/2 etc. What ever happened to a Fair days pay for a Fair days work ? We have people at work that will work Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. We ask if the WANT to work, if Yes, normal rates apply, if NO, then take a day off.

Why do I remain self employed ? Because NO ONE would hire me. :P :-X :'(



This has been fun, and must point out again, I was not having a winge. I thought I made that clear in the last line of so of the initial post.

Getting to the POINT of the post, and now I want an Honest ( look at yourself in the mirror and ask ) Answer, Should one use the Gazzetted Holiday for purposes, OTHER, that what it was intended for , and get paid to do so ?


ps, Joe, I will not walk in the shoes of the other man, as his shoes are provided by his Boss. I will never be constrained to the extent, of letting others decide, when, where and how I should spend, what little time I have left on this earth.

Once again fellas, and girls, thanks for the imput.

Cheers Phill

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

[Cheech]

I think I may have started to loose the point.. I use to live in Melbourne, We got a day off for a horse race.

I don't really know what it is like in the small business sector, but after being screwed over on wages and time worked, and also having it recognised and recorded that we here in australia work longer and harder than any one else,,, Geeze, the last thing in the world I will feel guilty of is having a gazetted public holiday.

Cheech

[aquarius]

So did you enjoy the Ekka today Phill?
Cheers Brent ;D ;D

[Cloud_9]

just on the pupil free day bit its for the teachers to plan the up comeing work.
it cam be a pain for working parents but the gov is not going to come up with better arrangements any time soon
i also am self employed but have to take public holidays off because the council will fine me $5000 if i work it not wurth the fine. :-/

Cheers Cloud 9

[MulletMan]

Wot is work?

[subzero]

100 lashes of the whip for you Phill.. [smiley=whip.gif]
Baaa humbug to Christmas too [smiley=devil.gif]
Tell me, on Queens Birthday weekend do I have to wear a dress ;D
"ps, Joe, I will not walk in the shoes of the other man, as his shoes are provided by his Boss". bet you buy your boys Kmart thong's ;) Just having a lend Phill
Cheers Lloyd

[Burley_Boy]

Figure with public holidays its just healthy to have a bunch of them around for whatever reason. Finding a balance between work and play is probably difficult for many of us whatever our vocation. Finding the balance of how many days off and when is another issue but the reason for the holiday is in most cases only important for a select few and I raise my glass to them and get on with my bit of life when I don't feel its my thing.

Lifes pretty damn good in this part of the world. Employer or employee and if you don't feel thats the case then don't push the blame further than yourself but work actively at changing your situation as the buck stops with you. :)

If all else fails go fishing and you've hopefully saved one meal you'd have to earn (damn did I just open another can of worms??? Sorry) ;)

[Fitzy]

Hardly fishing related guys.
I would have gone to the Ekka but I also had to work (no OT either). I wouldn't have gone anyway, I aint paying to get in there for that crap. If it was free entry, maybe I'd slide in to get a bag or 3 for the kid. For now I'll take him shoppin & get him some cheep crapy toys from Crazy Clarks & $20 worth of choccies from Woolies then swing him round till he throws up. Gets the same effect.

Now I recon employees should be able to pic one show holiday a year of their OWN choice.

I'd be picking the boat show!

C Yas all there!!

fitz

[Remo]

One as you could say that i'm self employed but contract to companies, so therefore I still have to answer to someone.
ii think that this questionas been raised a thousand times and will be raised thousand more. I think that it is all relevant, if you wish to work you work. But I ask this question for those who have staff that work for them as i do. If things are slow do you still work them on those public or do you stand them down for that day and save on entitlements. I think the later would apply.
We should be makeing money off our staff regardless of what they work as we should be working off yearly averages?

So in closeing its all relevant, They have no risk but get a shit load of entitlements. We take on the risk and are payed duely for that risk and hours worked.

Ray

[bugman]

Phil,

<tutorial>
Remind me when I'm down your way next to teach you how basic html works.
</tutorial>
;D ;D

[Captian_Zero]

Phil

I think it is all about give and take. If you enforce strict rules on your employees then you canot complain if they work to rule as well. I work more hours than what I am paid for and I know if I need time off for an appointment or other valid reason (which at the moment does not include fishing) then my boss is only too happy to allow that and not dock me.

There will always be a struggle been capital (the employers who want to get as much as they can and pay as little as they can) and labour (who want to get as much as they can for doing as little as they can get away with) and our industrial relations system is there to try and find a balance. This is a simplified argument but it sums up the diametrically oppossed positions.

Regards

Chris

[craigie]

Phill,

Your too harsh !!! ;D

Only because all the benifits you mention (being an employee) are a way of life after 20 + years of receiving them.

Might have to talk to "Snappa" and others about Sick leave being converted over to "Fishing Leave".

And No Phill, I didn't go out to our Governmet stand at the EKKA and sign the Register (It's actually an old Gov't joke where you don't get the day off unless you go out to the show and sign the register ;D ;D ;D, )

Cheers
Craig.

[Lucky_Phill]

wtf , is a HMTL thingie, Brett ?

[bj]

Go to another forum Phil if it is about the trash that you have been spreading.I joined this Ausfish site to LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE GREAT PASTIME AND SPORT OF FISHING,AND TO CONTRIBUTE AND TRY AND HELP OTHERS even if in only a small way. But no, not even in a forum such as this can I get away from politics.The FISHING PARTY YES!!! because that concerns every one of us,that is interested in recreational fishing.But what you`re trying to sell here ,GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.Join a political party and get elected and try and change things not get offside with people on this site that has most probably helped you at some time in the past.Trust you--- NEVER

[PinHead]

"But no, not even in a forum such as this can I get away from politics.The FISHING PARTY YES!!! because that concerns every one of us,that is interested in recreational fishing"

Methinks an oxymoron lurks in there.

[Maria]

Phill,

HTML - Hyper Text Markup Language. It is essence, the most common form of code that is compiled to develop webpages. The code you're using in your posts is derived from HTML code.

Ben

[imnotoriginal]

settle down bj, if you don't like the post/thread don't read it. And you can hardly say the point's not one we've all enjoyed discussing, after all, this is the 6th page for it...
Joel

[BOMBER]

YEP PHIL TO HARSH,

Mate have been on both sides once worked for myself as a contractor worked Saturdays, Sundays, travelled away from home for extended periods etc there were perks as a self employed contractor, now I work for a multi national on wages and the perks here are the public hols the holiday pay sick pay etc etc, I take advantage of these perks as I did of the perks when I was self employed if you don't have any perks being self employed well work for someone else on wages or if you don't take the perks available to you being self employed well who's fault is that.

Regards,

THE BOMBER.

[Cloud_9]

someone said get the works on casual basis?
they have a maximum number of hours they can work .
and if permanant casual their hours cant be consistant ei 7till 4. every week.
shift work can be , but not like phill's hours.

as bomber said make the most of what you got or get.
phill your about 120 grit

Cheers Cloud 9

[Abalone_4.9]

Hi Guys,
As a former construction worker, member of the BLF (Builders labourers federation), until 3 years ago a Defence force member and now a manager for an international Healthcare company I've experienced work on both sides of the fence.
As a former front-line worker I know how important it is to work hard with the knowledge that u have some paid time off to 'get a life' outside of work.
I've tried to apply this past experience when making decisions regarding people whom I have responsibility over.
My job now has budgets, deadlines and at times is stressful but I try not to let the ‘Shit flow down hill’.
Lets see if your opinions remain the same should you ever become an employee.
‘A good boss is one who remembers where he came from.’
Cheers
Lee

[Big_Kev]

Phil, I admire you for being a statesman and living your life to your Beliefs.
I am proud to be a wage earner and a social contirbuter and I admire those like yourself that go the extra to do it for yourself.
Cheers Kev. :)

[NQCairns]

Gotta say I 'work' (either wages or self emp) for myself and my family no other. But I can LABOUR for an employer. I cannot actually 'work' for an employer but I can go TO work and DO work for my employer. The original post answer's it's self IMHO. This very real distinction is also missing from some of these posts [smiley=wut.gif].

[MTpockets]

In my line of work its always hard to deal with public holidays as you always have to work 2 times as hard to catch up when you get back to work.
I am being honest here and believe that there ARE too many public holidays. I would prefer just the 4 day easter break, and the Xmas and new year holidays. The rest really are not relevant, apart from maybe Anzac day. The queens birthday is just silly, and Labour day is good for those who want to carry on a tradition. The ekka is another silly one as well as Australia day. Basically I would prefer 5 weeks holiday a year without the loading, and just be paid out for sick days not used for the year at the time of taking holidays.
That may get up everyones nose but it would make life so much simpler.
I would also prefer not to have a RDO if it falls during the week. There is no use for these days, but if it was at the start or end of a week, you could do something with them. Having a wednesday off once a month is a waste unless you have someone to spend it with fishing. If you dont, you either sleep all day, be lazy or catch up on work around the home.

I also believe that things like fathers/mothers day should be banned. There should be just one day..... Parents day!!!

This has been a great topic, and I have my views, None of which actually matter to anyone but me. We all have different wants and needs, but in the end we can only do what society says we can do, so its out of our hands till someone gets up and politically changes things.

Thats my view for the year...
cheers
Les

[crayman]

This is why we all want a job like E.T. or that Rex Hunt prick that get paid either way. Nice to see that Rex is down a rig if you watched the show on the weekend. My mate taped it and what bueaty. I say if you don't like working public holidays then work for someone or take them off. Or get paid double time. My career goal is to start my own fishing show just need to win thw lotto to fund it. :-/

[Lucky_Phill]

Ok, Fellas and Ladies, The last word.

FUN !

OK, more words.

Hasn't this been an eye opener. OK, maybe not fishing related, in a direct sense, but !

Thanks to all who took time to put pen to paper ( finger to keyboard ). All your views are welcome and noted. ;) ;D

Even the ones that took it seriously. ::)

Even as a Moderator here, the views and comments I posted here, are in no way a reflection of the views etc, held by the owner of this site.

Cheers ( til the next one ! ) Phill